Outcome1: Mind, Brain and Body
Revision Test
Multiple choice questions
1. The term ‘consciousness’ is best described as:
A. A state focusing on our internal existence and activities
B. A condition distinguished by specific physiological processes
C. The ability of a person to respond to objects and events within his or her external environment
D. The awareness of external stimuli and of one’s internal state
2. The two main divisions of the peripheral nervous system are the:
A. Afferent nervous system and the efferent nervous system
B. Sympathetic nerous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
C. Autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system
D. Somatic nervous system and the motor nervous system
3. Split-brain patients are those who have had their corpus callosum severed due to severe epilepsy. This
results in separate left and right brain hemispheres. Joel, a patient with a typical hemispheric dominance
was given a geometric puzzle from an intelligence test to solve. He was able to solve the puzzle only using his
left hand. He could not solve it using his right hand at all. Joel’s experience illustrates.
A. Left-brain superiority at spatial tasks
B. Right-brain superiority at spatial tasks
C. That one hemisphere is aware of what the other is doing
D. Right-brain superiority at ordering of complex movements
4. Why is it that most people are able to write using their hands but are not able to do so with their feet even
though there are five digits on both?
A. The area of the cortex allocated to the functioning of hands is located in the motor cortex in the
frontal loves; while the area allocated to the functioning of toes is located in the somatosensory area
in the parietal lobes.
B. The hands are better suited to writing than the toes because the neural pathway for hands are not
as distant from the central nervous system as they are for the feet.
C. The hands have a larger area of the motor cortex in the frontal lobes allocated to their functioning
than the feet.
D. The hands are used from an earlier age than the feet and therefore have a larger area in the parietal
lobes allocated to them.
5. The cerebral cortex is:
A. The structure within the brain necessary for the coordination of bodily movement
B. A major division of the somatic nervous system
C. Divided into two hemispheres
D. A layer covering the human brain that is approximately 8mm thick
6. Which of the following is a function of the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system?
A. Moves one’s foot
B. Inhibits heart rate
C. Stimulates digestion
D. Inhibits digestion
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7. The pattern of brainwaves that are characteristic of an ordinary individual in a state of normal waking
consciousness would be:
A. Alpha waves
B. Beta waves
C. Delta waves
D. Theta wave
E.
8. A psychologist was interviewing a client and observed the following about his behaviour.
I.
The client’s thinking was unclear and he was highly emotional
II.
The client was very open to suggestibility
III.
The client was not sure of his identity or the time of day
On the basis of this information, one may conclude that the client was experiencing
_______________________ during the interview.
A.
B.
C.
D.
An altered state of consciousness
Ordinary waking consciousness
The after effects of a hypnotic state
The after effects of a meditative state
9. Rebecca is working quietly during her study period. During the period, she reminisced about the party she
went to at the weekend, thought about how to balance her part-time job with her basketball roster, and
tried to plan what she was going to wear to her Year 12 Formal. Rebecca’s thought processes are most
indicative of which state of consciousness?
A. A state of drifting fantasies
B. An altered state of consciousness
C. A highly focused state of awareness
D. A state of normal waking consciousness
10. Denise studies architecture at university. In her spare time, she enjoys painting landscapes and playing the
flute. At school, she used to be a journalist for the student newspaper and loved to act in school plays. Her
boyfriend, Bradley, studies business management and information technology at university. At school, he
was a member of the internet club and enjoyed competing in the annual state mathematics and science
competitions. He enjoys playing the drums and has a strong sense of time and rhythm. Both Denise and
Bradley are right-handed.
Based on your knowledge of hemispheric specialisation of the brain, which of the following best describes
the above scenario?
A. Both Denise and Bradley’s left and right brain hemispheres are active at all times; however, judging
by the activities they tend to engage in, Denise may make more use of the right hemisphere of her
brain, whereas Bradley may tend to prefer activities involving mainly left-brain modes of thought.
B. Both Denise and Bradley’s left and right brain hemispheres are active at all times; however, judging
by the activities that they tend to engage in, Denise may make more use of the left hemisphere of
her brain, whereas Bradley may tend to prefer activities involving mainly right-brain modes of
thought.
C. Both Denise and Bradley’s left and right brain hemispheres are active at all times; however, given
that both individuals have specific interests requiring little communication between the
hemispheres, it is most likely that they have undergone split brain operations in which each
hemisphere is divided after the corpus callosum is severed.
D. Both Denise and Bradley’s would use the left and right brain hemispheres equally, based upon the
range of activities listed that each undertakes.
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11. While Peter was driving through the forest near ‘Black Spur’, a large branch from a tree fell onto the
roadside. Startled, he experienced an adrenaline ‘rush’, and thought he could feel his heart beat faster. He
also noticed other reactions including a dry mouth, deeper breathing and breaking out in a cold sweat.
These physiological responses would collectively form part of the:
A. General adaptation syndrome
B. Self-preservation reflex
C. ‘fight-or-flight’ response
D. Fright reaction
12. Andy fell heavily from her horse while riding in a cross-country event, and suffered head injuries as a result.
Following the accident, her vision has become impaired. Andy probably suffered damage to her
_________________ lobe.
A. Frontal
B. Occipital
C. Parietal
D. Temporal
13. Bodily changes, such as the galvanic skin response is one method of measuring the physiological systems
involved in arousal. When one is highly aroused:
A. Sweat glands increase their activity, which results in a decrease in the skin’s resistance to electrical
conductivity.
B. Sweat glands increase their activity, which results in an increase in the skin’s resistance to electrical
conductivity.
C. Sweat glands are inhibited, which results in a decrease in the skin’s resistance to electrical
conductivity.
D. Sweat glands are inhibited, which results in an increase in the skin’s resistance to electrical
conductivity.
14. In order to study the function of the corpus callosum, a neuropsychologist examined CT scans of the brains
of 100 individuals who had suffered tumours, strokes or other brain injuries. The scans in Group A were
taken form 50 subjects who had a background requiring the coordinated, simultaneous movement of both
hands, such as music, choreography or dressmaking. The scans in Group B were taken from 50 subjects who
had no prior experience in these types of professions. A significant difference (p<0.05) was found with Group
A having corpus callosums of larger than average size, while Group B had corpus callosums of average
dimensions. Based on these results, which of the following statements would best describe the conclusion
that the neuropsychologist would make about the function of the corpus callosum?
A. It plays an essential role in developing right brain superiority, as the right brain is mainly used for
non-verbal skills as well as the recognition of melodies.
B. It plays an essential role in higher mental functions and the control of movement by directing the
body’s muscles.
C. It plays a vital role in doubling the consciousness of individuals requiring the simultaneous
coordination of both hands in their chosen professions.
D. It plays a vital role in enabling the right and left cerebral hemispheres to communicate and is
therefore larger in individuals who have undertaken activities that require the two hemispheres to
communicate quickly when coordinating movement of the right and left hands simultaneously.
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15. Which of the following processes is controlled by the autonomic nervous system?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The automatic reflex action when touching a hot iron
Blushing when embarrassed
Coordination of bodily movement when playing sport
Recognising the meaning of words
Short answer questions
1. Seventy-year-old Phillip sustained damage to his brain when blockage of a cerebral artery caused a decrease
in oxygen and glucose to Broca’s Area. This resulted in the death of brain tissue in this area.
a) In what love of the cerebral cortex is Broca’s Area located? (1 mark)
________________________________________________________________________________________
b) Based on your knowledge of research with people who have sustained damage to Broca’s Area, how would
you expect Philips’ functioning to be affected? (2 marks)
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Using an example to clarify your answer, explain what is involved in controlled processes. (2 marks)
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Explain how each of the following physiological responses are used to measure different states of
consciousness.
a) Heart rate (1 mark)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
b) Body temperature (1 mark)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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